Sewing-machine



G. L. MARK.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11. 1917.

1,358,223, I Patented Nov. 9,1920.;

TSHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

an we q G. L. MARK.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.11, 1917.

G. L. MARK.

SEWING MACHINE.

T na? 3 G. L. MARK.

SEWINGMACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, 1917.

' 1,353,228. Patented Nov. 9,1920.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 'iimlm G.. L. MARK. SEWING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11.1917.

1,358,228. Patented Nov. 9,1920.

ISHEETS-SHEET 5- o O OLA-J o i U 116% 7 fM )fiffheasea. Y 116926 wwjlw G. L. MARK.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED D Ec.11.1917.

1,358,228. Patented Nov. 9,1920.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

G. L. MARK.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, 1917.

Patented NW9, 1920.

7 SHEETSSHEET 7- mfwessw.

attorney;

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFmE.

GEORGE L. MARK, OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE GANDY BELTING COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

Application filedDecember 11, 1917. Serial No. 206,586.

In the manufacture of canvas stitched belting, the layers of canvas are held in position and strengthened by longitudinal rows of stitching spaced apartby a convenient distance, as a quarter to a half an inch. This is usually done by means oi a single machine which must stitch the entire length of the belt once for eachrow of stitching, making the process oi manufacturing such belting very expensive intime, labor and shop space. A satisfactory twoneedle machinewas produced and patented by the applicant under date of April 28th, 1914, No. 1,094,801. This reduces by half the time and labor required to produce stitched canvas belting.

There is also a gang ormultiple needle machine in which all the needles are operated by a single bar. In such machines the needles are all mounted together on what may be termed a single stitching head. These latter machines have the disadvantage that it is impossible to stop one needle or to in any way control the needles in units of less than the whole in case a thread breaks or it is found desirable to stitch less the full width covered by the entire set oi needles. For instance, if the pathof the needles be five inches wide and it is desired to stitch a tour-teen -inch belt, the belt will be run through the machine twice, leaving an unstitched portion less than five inches wtde. liith the gang machine, the only practical method is to complete the belt on a single needle machine. 7

The object of this invention is top-reduce a machine having any desired number of separately actuated needles so arranged that they are in a way separately controlled, each being independent of the other to the extent that the operation of any one or as many or the needles as bediesired. may be arrested without interfering with the operation of the machine, 2'. 0., a ten-needle machine will operate with one, nine or ten needles, or any intermediate number as desired, and the operating needles may be any needles of the series with whichthe machine is provided. I

The machine also includes slow and quick drive and means for controlling both drives from the front of the machine. The slow motion drive makes it possible to turnthe machine by hand bringing the stitching elements to the exact position and relation desired at any time and in the case of a broken thread, the machine may be stopped, the thread spliced, the needles,.excepting the one having the broken thread, may be 'aised, the machine reversed to the point where the thread broke, the single line of stitching thus discontinued can be completed to the point of the stitching done bythe other needles, all the needles may be dropped and the operation continued until the belt is completed, or the needle having the broken thread may be out out and the portion leit unstitched completed on a one-needle machine.

If for any reason it is desired to stitch a path less than the full width, any number of needles may be suspended at either end of the series; also the needles are so spaced that by running the belt through in onedirection and then turning it over and running it back, a number of lines of stitching equal to twice the number of needles is produced, evenly spaced and of course stitched from opposite sides. The machine includes special. mechanism particularly adapted to actuate the needles and shuttles in the man ner described, and suitable connections for the slow and fast speeds.

Also, in the preferred form of the invention, the stitching heads are arranged on a line inclined at an acute angle to the direction of the feed and the length of the belt so as to provide ample room for the stitching heads, at the same time placing the lines of stitches as close together as is desired. This gives peculiar arrangement to the mechanism to which the driving gear herein illustrated is particularly adapted. I I

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a machine embodying my invention in its preferred from, in which- Figure 1 is a front View of the machine, 2'. 6., taken from the position of the opera tor;

Fig. 2 is a rear view;

' needle bar lock;

Fig. 3 is a plan;

ig. a is a side view taken from the left of Fig. 3 showing the feed rollers, etc;

Fig". 5 is aside view of a single stitching head and shuttle supporting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the shuttle supporting mechanism and race; '1

F 7 is a view of t*el slow speed drive relating particularly to the swinging worm; F 1g. 8 1s a vertlcal section showlng the Fig. '9 is a section showing the needle bar pivot and clutch;

Fig. 10 is a plan of the needle clamp; and

Figs; 11 and 12 are details of the slow speed control; y

The machine consists ofa series of stitching heads 1,

eluding high speed connections I} and low speed eonnectlons 5.

the machine shown, a driving pulley 6 on the main drive shaft 7 mounted torotate freely on but independently of the mam drive shaft 7. This pulley is positively connected to the main drive shaft during the operation under high speed by means of a clutch 8 operated by a clutch lever 9 with suitable connections through theshaft 10 to con-. trol lever 11 at the front end of the machine, the lever 11 being rigidly secured to a shaft andsecured to the shaft 16 of a bevel gear 24 V which meshes with a bevel gear 25 on a worm 26 or the shaft thereof. The worm is mounted on a suitable carriage 27 swinging about the axis of the shaft 16, sprocket 28 and bevel gear 24. 'This worm 26 swings into and out of mesh with a worm gear 28 on the main drive shaft 7, the slow speed drive being thrown into and out of operation by the swinging, of the worm gear 26 on its carriage 27. This is accomplished by;

a cam or dog 30 on the shaft 31, the same being actuated by a lever 32 engaged by a connecting rod 38 which engages the swinging end of an arm 3 1 on a shaft 35 running transversely of the machine. This shaft 35 is in turn oscillated by means of an arm 36 and connecting rod 37 leading forward to a depending. lever 38 at the front of the niachine, the same being mounted on and rigidly secured to a shaft or stud 39 which is in 7 turn oscillated by an operating or controller lever 410. This lever is held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a sliding bolt ,the..earriage'27 resting in this position on corresponding shuttle motions 2, and driving mechanism 8, preferably 111-;

Beginning with the driving mechanism, there is in theform of e1 resting against a suitable abutment 12 on the mach-ineframe. In this position of the parts, the worm gear is held out of mesh so that the slow speed drive is inoperative, the wooden block I, see Fig. 7. In this connection it should be noted that Fig. 7 shows the worm and gear out of mesh, the outer edges of the concave faced worm wheel overlapping but notengaging the 'worm. The boltprevents any accidental displacement of the parts which might result in throwing the slow speed gear into mesh when the high speed gear is connected resulting in injury to the machine. Fig. 12 discloses ajpositioning or stop mechanism on the shaft 35 in the form of flat cams or dogs 83. These limit the are through which the shaft may be rotated and determine the throw of tie carriage 27 with the worm 26 so that it swings just into and out of mesh withoutpermitting the teeth of the worm to enter the teeth of the wheel beyond the pitch line. i V

vAt the left in Fig. 2, there is a hand wheel on the main shaft 7 by means of which the machine may be conveniently turned to any desired position when in low gear the clutch 8 being disengaged. On the drive shaft 7 at each side of the machine are beveled drive pinions 41-10 rigidly mounted on thedrive shaft 7,. 'Each of tiese beveled pinionsmeshes with beveled gears'd20 fast on shafts 43 extending forward on a line slightly out of right angles with the main 100 shaft 7. Each of these shafts 13 carries a cylindrical path cam 44 engaged by a follower 45 to which it imparts a reciprocating motion. Each follower is carriedby a cross head 16 sliding in ways 17 and to each follower is pivotally joined, preferably by a pin 49 which also forms the axis of the follower, a connecting rod 18 pivotally connected at the other end to a depending lever 50. That is, in the preferred form of the invention, there are two cams 44, one at each side of the machine,'two followers 445, two cross-heads 16, two connecting rods 48, and two levers 50, one secured or keyed to each end of the needle arm shaft 51. This shaft 51 is at right angles to the shaft 13 and therefore inclined at an acute angle to the main drive shaft 7. The machine is so. arranged in order to bring the line of needles at anacute angle to the line on which the belt is fed through the machine, or more particularly to throw the needles and needle 2 ctuating mechanism out of direct alinement transversely to the feed and provide room for both and to bring the lines of stitches sufficiently close together to meet the conditions presented. 2 i

Referring to Fig. 5 which is a view taken at right angles to the shaft 51, I have shown needle arms 52 each secured to the shaft 51 and projecting forward. It will be understood upon reviewing the connections already described, that the arms 52,

of a connecting rod 59 having a suitable pivotal connection 590 to the needlebar at its lower end. The needle '56 is secured to the lower part of the bar and extends down through the slot in the presser foot 57.

Referring now toFig. 9, we have a detail illustration of the pivotal clamp 58 which joins each needle bar connecting rod 59 to the forward end of the corresponding arm 52. Fig. 9 is a vertical central cross-section through this pivotal clamp; Each arm 52 has a transverse circular aperture 60 at its forward end in which is journaled a hollow block 61 having a round'shank 62 to fit the aperture 60. The shank 62 is centrally apertured at 63 to receive the shank c4. of the block 65. The block ,65 has a head 67 which is apertured at 66 to receive a needle bar connecting rod 59, theaperture being suiiiciently large to permit the rod 59 to slide therethrough. The head 67 is cut down or shouldered at 68 adjacent the shank so that it enters a socket 69 in the block 61 which has at its upper and lower edges pref erably semi-circular slots 70 to engage the needle bar. There are springs 71 tending to push the block 65 out of the socket 69 in the block 61, giving a tendency to unclamp the rod 59, and there is a nut 72 engaging a threaded portion near the end of the shank 6% of the block 65 so that when the nut is screwed up it tends to draw the block 65 into the block 61 against the springs 71 causing the connecting rod 59 which is in the aperture 66 in the block 65 to press against the notches 70 in the block 61, gripping it with a degree of pressure depending on the tightness of the nut. It will also be understood that the block 65, as shown, carries a springpressed pin or bolt, the spring being indicated by reference character 74 and the pin by reference character 73, and there is also an. aperture or socket 75, shown in the needle bar, adapted to receive the end of the pin. The rear end ofthe pin 7 3 is reduced to form a shoulder 76 to be engaged by the spring and this reduced rear end passes through a small opening 77 in the end of the shank 64:; of the block 65 which shank is slotted at its extreme end at 78 and the slot is engaged by a transverse pin 79 on the shank of the bolt 73 so that the bolt 73 may be withdrawn against the pressure ofthe spring 74 by grasping the knurled head 80, and then slightly rotating it to bring the pin out of registration with the slot 78 when it remains locked in withdrawn position.

1n operation, the nut 72 is loosened open ing the aperture 66 in response to the pressure of the springs, the bolt 73 is withdrawn against the spring 74, and the needle bar connecting rod 59 thrust into the aperture 66 until the socket or depression '75 therein comes oppositethe bolt 73 when the latter having been released servesto position the needle bar'and connecting rod. Then the nut 72 is tightened drawing in the block 65' against the connectingrod 59 and pressing the latter against the'slots 70 on the inner block 61. In this position the needle bar has a freely working pivotal connection with the end of its needle arm 52 and the possibility of slipping of the barrelatively to the arm is entirely precluded. If for any reason, it is desired to. release one of the needle bars, the corresponding bolt 7 3 is withdrawn against the pressure of the spring 74 and turned to prevent the pin 79 from entering the slot 78. Thus the bolt is locked in retracted position. Then the nut 72 is loosened and the needle bar may be withdrawn from sewing position and held out of operation in any desired position. As a means for suspending each needle bar out of operation, I have provided the lookout bolt or suspension'device illustrated in Fig. E13 and indicated by reference character 85, Fig. 5. i I

Referring nowto Fig. 8, the guide bearing 54 extends directly through an arm 86 on the frame. To this arm, I have affixed a stud 87 held in position by a threaded portion 88 at the end of the stud which enters a threaded socket 89 in the frame passing through an aperture in the tension support 89, which aperture registers with the socket. This stud is hollow and provided with guidebarrel. 90 for a sliding bolt 91 which passes through an aperture 92 in the frame and enters a socket 93 in the needle bar when the latter is in such withdrawn position as permits such registration of the parts. The bolt 91 seatedin the barrel 90 of the stud 87 is actuated by a spring 9a which presses it outward. This spring bears at one end against the bolt and at the other end against the shoulder 95 in the stud. The shank of the bolt extends outward through a reduced aperture in the end a leased by withdrawing it and when the pin 97 appears, rotating it until this pin is free of the slot and rests on the end of the stud; this is the position of the bolt in the nor! mal operation of the machine. However,

rod is released from thearm 52 by unscrewing thenut 72. At the same time the bolt 91 is released by rotating it until'the pin 97 enters the slot 98 and the needle bar is drawn up until this bolt enters the socketorde- 'to the stitching heads.

pression .93 in the needle bar. this position, the needle'and'needle bar aresafely locked out; of engagement with the-work- As further'details of the stitching'head, 5 shows a check lever arm 100 pivoted to a suitable support at 101 having its rear enddrawndown by a spiral spring 102. This check lever arm has an eye at its forward end 103 through which the thread 104 is drawn'from a ball or spool 105 through the tension 106. i

Referring again to Fig. 2 showing the rear or driving end of the machine-there is a shuttle arm shaft 107 horizontally-placed and near the floor though its position is not material. On the drive shaft 7, there is a spur pinion 108'which meshes with and drives a spur gear 109 on a short shaft 110. This shaft carries at its end a crank plate or face plate 111 with a crank pin 112 adjustable in a slot 113. This crank pin drives a depending connectingrod 114'pivoted to a crank arm 115on the shuttle arm shaft 107, imparting-to the latter an oscillating motion. Connected to this shaft isv a series of upright shuttle arms 116 in number equal To each ofthese arms, there is pivotally connected at the upper end, a shuttle rod 117 extending forward and shown in a substantially horizontal position. Each oneof these shuttle rods carries pivotally connected at its forward extremity, a cross-head 118 to which is rigidly secured .a parallel sliding rod 119 sliding in guide bearings 120. Each of these rods 119 carries shuttle'holding mechanism 121, see particularly Figs. and 6, consisting of a saddle 123 secured to the rod and en'- gaging the shuttle intermediately, the forked v collar 126 secured to the rod and it is held in position as to rotation about the rod as an axis by aspring-bolt 127. This'consists of a sliding pin or bolt proper 127 mounted in a suitable bearing in the saddle 123. The rod carries an'abutmcnt or shoulder 128 engaged by a spiral compression spring 129 which encircles the rod, bearing at one end against the abutment 128 and at the other end against the block or saddle 123. The end 130 of the pin or bolt 127 passes'through a suitable perforation in the abutment 125 holding thelatter in position opposite. and in contact with the end of the shuttle. To

aperture or perforation132. Then thexabutment 125 may be rotated out of the pathof In operation, the shuttle 13.4

the shuttle.

is held with its flat side against the shuttle race 135=by the shuttle engaging means .121,

and caused to move back and vforth beneath the needle in the usual manner, the needle race being shown in planat 136, see Fig. 6,

and iii-vertical section in Fig. 5. The presser foot is indicated by reference character 57 and at-137 l have shown-the usual presser foot lever.

7 Referring again to Fig. 2, showing a'rear elevation of the machine, the shaft 110 which drives the shuttle mechanismalso carries an eccentric 140 which through the usual strap actuates a rod 141, referredto for convenience herein as an eccentric rod, connected by a universal joint 142 to an arm 143 keyed to a shaft 144 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame of the machine. Rigidly secured to this shaft is a depending arm 145 to the end of which is pivoted a connecting rod 146 in turn pivoted to a pawl lever 147 carrying pawls 148 engaging a ratchet 149 on the shaft 150 which carries the pawl lever. Cooperating with the pawls 148 is a check or non-return pawl 151.

Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the shaft 150carrying the ratchet 149 also carries the bottom feed roller 152, the same being at right angles to the drive shaft. On the shaft 150 is shown a spur gear 153 meshing with an idler 153 which in turn meshes with an idler 154 meshing with a spur gear 155 on the shaft'of the upper feed roller 156, which said shaft is mounted in sliding blocks 157 in vertical ways 158. To each sliding block 157, there is pivotally connected an eccentric strap rod 159 carrying eccentric strap 160. Each strap 160incloses an eccentric 161 mounted at each end of the rollers on shaft 162. ;The angular position of the shaft is controlled by a hand lever 1.63 secured to the shaft at the right in Fig; 4 and the hand lever is in turn held in any desired position by a pivoted rod 164 passing through a clamp 138 on the hand lever. It will be iuiderstood that by rotating. the shaft 162, the upperroller is raised or lowered tov any desired extent limited by the throw of V they may be at almost any desired position relatively to the other parts of the machine, the important conditions as to the rollers being their angular position, or ratherthe' angular position of their axes, relatively to i the line of the needles as seen inplan in Fig. 3, thatlis, the belting is fed forward or rather drawn forward by the rollers in a line at right angles to their axes, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8. To determine positively the position or path of the belt operate each with the lower ends of two upright members 168 secured to and extending above and below the guides. These uprights are secured at their lower ends to the spacer rods 167 by set screws 169, the rods 167 being passed through the apertures 170 in the lower ends of the members 168 which apertures are entered by the set screws 169, clamping the upright members in adjusted position on the rods. The members 168 are apertured at their upper ends to admit screw shafts 17 2 parallel to theaxes of the rollers, the apertures being indicated by reference characters 17 3 and 17 1. The apertures 178 are screw-threaded to cooperate with the thread 175 on the rear portion of each of the screw shafts 172. The uprights 168 of the guide 166 on the other hand are apertured to slide on the corresponding screw shaft. The spacing of the guides is determined by the rods 167 as engaged by set screws 169. The screw shafts 172 are provided at their rear ends each with a bevel gear 180 meshing with bevel gears 181 on a transverse shaft 182 at the rear of the machine, the gears being placed as indicated to give rotation of the screw shafts in the same direction, or the threads may be cut to give the same result, the object being to move the guides 165 back and forth without changing their direction or parallelism by rotating the shafts by any agency as the handwheel 183, it being understood that the position of the guide 166 is adjusted in accordance withand in parallelism with the guide 165 by means of the spacers 167.

It will be understood that in operation the guides are adjusted to the width ofthe belt by means of the spacers and then moved to a position in which the needle at one end of the series will stitch a seam adiacent the corresponding edge of thebelt and spaced therefrom by the distance determined for the seam nearest the edge in the finished belt, the needle at the other end of the line being spaced from the other edge by twice that distance, a. e., adistance equal to the spacing of the needles in a direction parallel to the rollers. When the entire length of the belt has been stitched, presumit to be of the width or less than the width of the series of needles as measured parallel to the axis of the feed rollers and approximately a multiple of one half of the needle spacing so measured, the belt is turned over and restitched from the other side. If not of such even multiple width, the adjustment of the guides may be slightly changed so that the stitches on the opposite sides may be evenly spaced, 2'. 0., those on one side exactly intermediate of those on the other side. The needle spacing is so chosen as to cooperate with the standardwidth of belt to produce the desired result of convenient placing of the stitches. The second time the belt is passed through the machine, a line of stitches is produced, sewed from the opposite side of the belt and spaced half way between the line of stitches produced by the first operation. The manner of applying this method to a belt of a width equal to the width, measured parallel to the rollers, of the series of needles, or rather to that width plus one and one-half spaces, or to any multiple of'such width, is easily apparent and it may be applied to any belt by stitching .suchportion of the surface. as can be divided into spaces equal to the width of the series of needles, stitching the remainder by withdrawing the portion of the series of needles not needed for this purpose, as described in connection with that portion of the mechanism, the same withdrawal of the needles being resorted to to stitch a belt of less than full width.

The operation of the machine has been fully disclosed ,in connection with the description of each feature or subcombination, so that a complete review seems undesirable, as it is believedthat a complete disclosure has been made, sufficient to enable any one skilled in the art or any one skilled in mechanics or the general machine art to practice the invention.

I have thus described a machine embodying my invention fully and specifically in order that its nature may be clearly understood; however, .the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in their limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims. 1 a

What I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

7 others, and means'forholdin'g each member out of operation independently of theothers.

. 5. In a multiple needle machine for stitchting each needle bar to be released at will independently of the other needle bars, and

meanssfor supporting each needle bar out of operative position.-

2. In a machine for stitching multipleply belting, means for feeding'and guiding the belting, a series of needle bars each 5211 rying a needle, the bars being equally spaced in a direction measured transversely to the line of feed, separate means for actuatingi 1 each needle bar, means for permitting each needle bar tobe released at the will ofv the operator independently of all the other needle bars, and separately actuated means for holding each needle bar outof operative position. a V V 3. In a .machine forstitching multipleply belting, a series of reciprocating needlecarrying members,means for actuating each said member, separate means for securing each said member to the actuating means, permitting each stitching member to be released at the Will of the operator independently of all the other said members, and

independent means for holding'each said stitching member in inoperative position. 7

4. Ina sewing machine forstit'chin'g belting in combination, feed rollers, guides for f the belting extending in the direction of the feed, a series of stitching members arranged 1 1n a-lme at an acute angleto the directionof the feed and spaced by predetermined distances 111a dlrection measuredtransversely Z'to the feed, withiseparate means for releasing each said member independently of the ing belting, a driving shaft, a cam shaft at an angle-to the driveshaftof less than ninety degrees, a'cam on said shaft, a needle arm shaft at an acute angle to the driveshaft Iwith connections for; oscillating said shaft *aline at an acute angle to the direction ofuniformly by the cam action, a'pluralitylofneedlc arms mounted on sald osclllat ng shaft, and a rne'ed le 'bar 'dep'endingifrom each said arm so that the needle'actuating means are arranged in a line at an acute angle tothe directi'on of the feed and the needles are spaced by predetermined distances transversely'to the feed.

6. Ina multiple needle machine for stitch ing belting, a driving'shaft, two cam shafts at an vangle to the drivesha'ftofrless than n1nety degrees, a cam one'ach 'sa1d shaft, a

needle arm shaft at an acute angle to the. drive shaft With connections from each said cam to said shaft for oscillatingthe shaft,- and a needle bar depending from each said;

arm so that the needle arms are arranged in the feed and the needles are spaced across the feed. r Y 1 7. In a multiple needle machine for stitching belting, a drivingshaft, a cam shaft at transversely to the'feed. I 9. Ina machine for stitching belting, a

"permitting it to slide through the connect ing means, and means for supporting each needlebar out of operative position independently of the other needle bars.

8. In asewing machine for stitching belting, feed rollers, a cam shaft at an acute angle to the feed rollers, a needle arm shaft at right angles to the cam shaft, a'cam follower and connections whereby the needle arm shaft is actuated by the cam, a'series of needle arms on the needle arm shaft, a needle bar pivotally connected to the end of each needle arm, a needle carried by each bar, the needles being spaced at prede terminedintervals in a direction measured rotating drive shaft, a cam shaft driven from said drive shaft, a cam on 'sald shaft, a-needle arm shaft with connections whereby it 1s oscillated by'the operation of; the. cam, a

plurality of needle arms, a needle bar pivotallyoconnectedvto the end of each said arm :With means for releasing'each needle bar," 'means for holdmg'each needle bar out 'of operative position independently of the others, a shuttle motion consisting of a shaft,

"means for oscillating the same from the drive shaft, a series of swinging shuttle armsequ al in number to the needlebars, each shuttle arm being -secured to the oscillating shaft, a connecting rod pivoted to each sa1d swinging arm,'a sliding rod operated by the connectingrod, shuttle carrying means .on

each said rod, and feed rollers for passing the belting in operative relation to the stitchlng mechanism. 10., In a machine for stitching belting 1n combination, a needle arm mounted to oscillate from a central'position ne'arthe'horizontal, the swinging end'of the arm having a circular opening to act as a journal bearing, a blockhaving a shank or journalfitting therein, the 'bloclrhaving a central; aperture, a second'block having' a shank to fit said aperture, the same being shouldered above the shank, the first-mentionedblock having asocket at theend of itsapertureto receive the enlarged or shouldered portion,'the second-mentioned block being verticallyfaper- V t'ured-toreceive a needle bar, the aperture being'a little larger than the bar, theou'ter block having slots adj'acentthe socket to engage the bar, springs between the shouldered portion of the inner block and the socket in the outer block to force the block outward when released, a threaded portion on the end of the shank of the inner block, and a nut to engage the thread and draw the shank of the inner block through the outer block, clamping the bar in position.

11.. In a machine for stitching belting in combination, a needle arm mounted to oscillate from a central position near the horizontal, the swinging end of the arm having a circular opening to act as a journal bearing, a block having a circular shank or journal fitting therein, said block having a central aperture, a second block having a shank to fit said aperture, the same being shouldered beyond the shank, the first-mentioned block having a socket at the end of its aperture to receive the enlarged or shouldered portion, the second-mentioned block being vertically apertured to receive a needle bar, the aperture being a little larger than the bar, the outer block having surfaces adjacent the socket to engage the bar, springs between the shouldered portion 01 the inner block and the outer block to force the block outward when released, a threaded portion on the end of the shank of the inner block, a nut to engage the thread and draw the shank of the inner block through the outer block,

clamping the bar in position, and a springactuated bolt in the inner block engaging an aperture in the needle bar to position the same.

12. In a machine for stitching belting, a series of reciprocating needle bars, means for actuating the same, means for releasing ach bar from the actuating mechanism, a lock-out mechanism for each bar consisting of a spring-actuated bolt, and a socket in the bar to cooperate with the bolt when the bar is in withdrawn position.

13. In a machine for stitching belting, a series of needle bars, rocking means to actuate the needle bars, and a combined pivot and clamp securing each needle bar to the rockmg means.

14. In a machine for stitching belting, a series of needle bars, rocking means to actuate the needle bars, a combined pivot and clamp securing each. needle bar to the rocking means, and means for supporting each needle bar when the clamp is released.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this lth day of December, 1917.

GEORGE L. MARK.

l/Vitnesses:

ZELLA KUHN, PonrnR H. FLAUTT. 

